Barbecue

ABSTRACT

A barbecue ( 10 ) comprising a number of components which can be readily assembled and disassembled without the need for fixing agents, including support structures ( 12, 14 ) comprising one or more structural components ( 22, 24, 26, 28 ) which can be fitted together by interengageable elements ( 30, 32 ), the structures ( 12, 14 ) supporting holding means ( 42 ) for holding a barbecue tray ( 16 ). The structural components ( 22, 24, 26, 28 ) are also suitable for the construction of walls and the like.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a barbecue, especially for use in thegarden.

BACKGROUND

Previously, it has been necessary for people who wish to have a barbecuein their garden to build it from basic components, such as bricks,mortar and concrete sheets or blocks. This is a time-consuming processand means that such barbecues are not easily assembled by people who arenot familiar with various building techniques, such as bricklaying.Alternatively, it has been possible to purchase ready-made barbecueswhich are made of metal. These have the disadvantage that they cannot beleft outdoors through the winter as they will rust and necessitatestorage of a bulky item indoors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a selfbuild barbecueassembly which is easy to assemble and made from relatively few durablecomponents.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention is directed to astructural component which can be fitted to one or more furtherstructural components by integral interengageable elements.

This is advantageous in that the structural components can be fittedtogether to form a structure without the need for joining agents such asmastic, fine clay, sand and cement. Such a structure can be readilyassembled by those unskilled in conventional building techniques, andcan also be dismantled and relocated as required.

In a preferred embodiment, the interengageable elements comprise aprotrusion and a corresponding indentation in the components beingjoined. The advantage of this is that the components can be joined verysimply and in a structurally secure method.

A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a barbecuecomprising components which can be assembled and disassembled, whichinclude holding means adapted to secure a barbecue tray, and a pluralityof support structures providing support for the holding means, in whichthe holding means engages the support structures via interengageableelements and in which each support structure comprises one or morestructural components which can be fitted together by similarinterengageable elements.

An advantage of this is that the barbecue can be put together usingrelatively few parts and does not need any mastic or other joiningagents to secure the structure. Furthermore, the ability to break thestructure down into few parts allows for easy handling of individualparts and relatively simple transport.

Preferably, the holding means is a top which can be equipped with a holeto accept a barbecue tray and can be fire-resistant. This has theadvantage that the tray simply fits into the top and heat from thebarbecue tray will not adversely affect the top.

Preferably, the top is further equipped with a chimney, similarly fittedtogether by interengageable elements. This provides the advantage thatthe smoke from the barbecue is directed away from the users.

In a preferred embodiment, the top is provided with a water drip. Thismay take the form of a groove running around the edge of the uppersurface of the top.

Advantageously, the top comprises a plurality of sections whichinterlock along their adjacent edges. A small section is lesssusceptible to accidental fracture during loading, transportation andinstallation than a complete top, so this arrangement reduces the riskof damage to a barbecue, particularly to a large barbecue with anextensive top.

Preferably, the support structures comprise two side walls and a backwall.

In a preferred embodiment, underneath the top, spaced apart in adownward direction therefrom there is provided a shelf, which issimilarly supported by and fitted together with the support structures.This provides the advantage that items such as food or implements can bestored in an easily accessible place close to the barbecue.

Advantageously, the top is equipped with a surround which encompassesthree sides of a barbecue tray. This has the advantage that wind is keptaway from the barbecue tray, and also that the food being cooked on thebarbecue tray, such as hot fat droplets can only travel in winddirection.

Advantageously the barbecue further comprises a base of substantiallyuniform thickness. This may be made of, for example, stone, and be thesame shape of the underside of the barbecue walls. This is advantageousin that a level surface is thereby provided on which the barbecue can beconstructed more securely.

A third aspect of the present invention is directed to a wall comprisinga plurality of structural components fitted together by integralinterengageable elements. This provides a self-build wall that can besimply and rapidly assembled, and has the nature of a dry stone wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of barbecues made in accordance with the present invention willnow be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view from the front of such a barbecue;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of this barbecue;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a modified version of the barbecue in FIG.1;

FIG. 4 shows a back view of the barbecue of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a top and cross-sectional view of the joint used inassembling the barbecue in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows an expanded barbecue;

FIG. 7 shows a view of one side of the barbecue shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a back view of the barbecue shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 shows a back view of the modification of the barbecue shown inFIG. 6;

FIG. 10 shows an exploded view of the barbecue shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 shows a modification of the barbecue shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 shows a modification of the blocks used to construct thebarbecues shown in the preceding Figures;

FIG. 13 shows a top view of a base for the barbecues shown in thepreceding Figures;

FIG. 14 shows (a) a side view and (b) an end view of a barbecue top; and

FIG. 15 shows a barbecue comprising three sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a barbecue 10 in an assembled form comprising supportstructure means formed by two side walls 12 and a back wall 14.Suspended from the three walls is a barbecue tray 16, above which issuspended a grill tray 18. The walls have a top surround 20. The wallsare made of blocks made of the usual building materials, which have theappearance of a brick structure, or a random stone finish.

FIG. 2 shows how the walls of the barbecue 10 are broken up intoseparate sections. There can be a number of these sections, dependingupon the height and length of the barbecue required. Each section iscomprised of a number of interengaging structurel components, such as;blocks. The Figure shows one such section exploded, in which there is arear block 22 which is a castellated structure, in the middle of whichfits a block 24 with a downward engaging part which fits into the middleof the two castellations in block 22. Each end of the block 22, at thecorners thereof, engages at either end with blocks 26 which form a sidewall. The top of block 26 fits over the bottom of block 22. The otherend of block 26 has a further block 28 which fits into its upper forwardcorner. The thus formed section has a U-shape with flat top and bottomsurfaces, which are equipped with engagement (interengageable) elementsto fit further sections together. In the example shown, four suchsections of blocks have been assembled. The top of the constructed wallshave a number of engagement elements which enable top surround 20, inthis case, or a top, to be fitted in a stable manner. On the insides ofthe walls there are protruding formations which support the barbecuetray 16 and the grill 18. A side view of the assembled barbecue 10 isshown in FIG. 3. In this case, a top 42 as shown in FIG. 10 has beeninserted between two sections and a back view of this barbecue 10 isshown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows the engagement element which is present between each of theblocks 22, 24, 26, 28 and between the sections of wall and othercomponents to ensure constructional stability. This comprises a steppedhole formation 30 and a similarly stepped protrusion 32 which engageswith the hole 30 in a form fitting manner. In the example shown, theprotrusions 32 project downwards, although obviously this arrangementcan be reversed.

FIG. 6 shows a barbecue 40 which has more parts than the barbecue 10.However, the various parts of the barbecue 40 are identical to those inbarbecue 10. In this instance, there is a top 42, or holding meansprovided to support the barbecue tray in a hole formed in the top 42.Above the top 42, there is a U-shaped wall section 44 comprising supportstructure means, preferably side and back walls, and a top surround 46.Underneath the top 42, there is a further U-shaped supporting wallsection 48 which rests on a shelf 50. The shelf 50 rests on supportstructure means formed by side and back walls 52 which are composed of anumber of U-shaped wall sections. The top 42 and the shelf 50 extendbeyond the side of the walls 52 and 48 to create extra storage spacewhich is supported by bottom side walls 52 to support the shelf andupper side wall 54 which supports the top 42.

FIG. 7 shows an end view of the barbecue 40.

FIG. 8 shows a back view of the barbecue clearly showing the extendedshelf space.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of the barbecue 40 in which the top 42 doesnot extend to the side of the main barbecue to create the extra shelfspace but, however, the shelf 50 does.

FIG. 10 shows an exploded view of the parts that make up the barbecue40. As can be clearly seen from this, the top 42 is composed of twoparts 42 a and 42 b; 42 b provides the side shelf. Similarly, the shelf50 is composed of two parts; 50 a which is the main barbecue and 50 bwhich provides the side shelf. Similarly, each one of the wall sections48, 52, 53, 54 can be broken down into similar individual blocks, asdiscussed with regard to barbecue 10.

FIG. 11 shows barbecue 60. In place of the U-shaped wall section 44 onbarbecue 40, there is an added chimney piece 62; the chimney piece 62comprises side and back walls 64 which are comprised of three U-shapedwall sections; the top one of which 64 a has an extending cornice 66. Ontop of the walls 64, there is a chimney piece 68 which has a base 70that fits on top of the wall 64 with a tapering top part 72.

It will be readily apparent to a reader skilled in the art that thebarbecues described herein can be further expanded using parts similarto those described herein joined via the engagement elements herein toproduce a larger barbecue range. For example, FIG. 12 shows the block24, which acts as a keystone in the previously described barbecuedesigns, and a further block 74 which is adapted to cooperate with theblock 24 and the blocks 22 and 26 to allow the construction of a longerbarbecue.

The barbecue may be further provided with a base 76 of, for example,stone, having uniform thickness and being of the same size as theunderside of the walls of the barbecue, as illustrated in FIG. 13. Thisserves to secure the sections of the walls, and to provide a levelsurface upon which the barbecue can be built.

In addition, the top of the barbecue may be provided with a groove cutaround the edge of the upper surface to act as a water drip. FIG. 14shows a side view and an end view of a barbecue top 42, having an uppersurface formed to give the appearance of bricks, stones or tiles 78.Internal reinforcing rods 80 running the length of the top 42 are alsoprovided.

Furthermore, the top may comprise a plurality of sections. FIG. 15 showsa top 42 made up of three sections 82, 84, in which the sectionsinterlock at their adjacent edges, and the central section 84 acts as akeystone to hold the sections together. In the illustrated embodiment,the central section 84 is a narrow strip. However, the width of eachsection may be varied as required, so that, for example, a top maycomprise three sections of equal size. Such a top is suitable for usewith barbecues such as those illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, where arelatively large top is required.

It will be further apparent that the structural components fittedtogether with interengageable elements as described herein are not onlyapplicable to the construction of barbecues and walls, but can bereadily applied to other simple structures such as pedestals forstatuary.

What is claimed is:
 1. A barbecue comprising a plurality of componentsthat are capable of being assembled together and disassembled, whereinsaid components comprise holding means for holding a barbecue tray and aplurality of support structure means for supporting said holding means,and wherein said holding means and said support structure means furthercomprise interengageable element means for fitting one or more of saidsupport structure means and said holding means together and furtherwherein each of said support structure means comprises one or morestructural components having interengageable element means for fittingsaid structural components together, and further wherein at least one ofsaid structural components is a keystone.
 2. A barbecue according toclaim 1, in which the holding means comprises a top equipped with a holeto accept a barbecue tray and is fire-resistant.
 3. A barbecue accordingto claim 2, further comprising a chimney having said interengageableelements.
 4. A barbecue according to claim 2, wherein said top comprisesa plurality of sections having adjacent edges that interlock.
 5. Abarbecue according to claim 1 wherein the support structures comprisetwo side walls and a back wall.
 6. A barbecue according to claim 1,further comprising a shelf that is underneath the holding means andspaced apart in a downward direction therefrom, said shelf beingsupported by and fitted together with the support structures.
 7. Abarbecue according to claim 1 further comprising walls adjacent theholding means encompassing three sides of a barbecue tray.
 8. A barbecueaccording to claim 1 and further comprising a base of substantiallyuniform thickness beneath said support structure means.
 9. A barbecueaccording to claim 1 wherein said interengageable elements compriseprotrusions and corresponding indentations in the components to bejoined.